JOHANNESBURG:
Cheteshwar Pujara slammed a sparkling unbeaten 135 as India gained firm
control of the first Test against South Africa with the top-order
showing remarkable application to give the visitors a substantial overall lead of 320 on Friday.Saturday, 21 December 2013
Cheteshwar Pujara score unbeaten 135
JOHANNESBURG:
Cheteshwar Pujara slammed a sparkling unbeaten 135 as India gained firm
control of the first Test against South Africa with the top-order
showing remarkable application to give the visitors a substantial overall lead of 320 on Friday.
Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri is AIFF Player of the Year 2013
NEW DELHI: Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri was named the 2013 AIFF Player of the Year by AIFF president Praful Patel during the Annual General Meeting on Friday.
Chhetri, who had earlier won the Award twice in 2007 and 2011, was chosen the winner after voting by I-League coaches at AIFF Headquarters.
"It feels great and I am very thankful to all the coaches for voting for me. But then I don't take it too seriously. It feels good for a while and then you ought to brush it off and move on," Chhetri said.
"Sometimes Awards can make you complacent and if you become so, then it doesn't take much time for your form to dip. All these years I have learnt to deal with adulations and criticism in a normal way. Honestly, I'm still learning."
Chhetri, who is presently India's highest-ever goal-scorer in international football with 43 goals, will be presented a prize of Rs. 2 lakh besides a trophy. The Indian captain thus became only the second player after IM Vijayan to have won the Award thrice.
"I have been very fortunate to have amazing lads as my Teammates -- my mates from Churchill Brothers and presently from Bengaluru FC. I also want to take this opportunity to thank all the Players that I have played with for my National Team as none of those 43 goals would have been possible without their support," Chhetri said.
"I also need to thank the Coaching staff of both the Clubs that I have played this year and obviously from the National Team."
Asked about his most pleasant moment of 2013, Chhetri said: "Winning the I-League crown with Churchill Brothers and joining an amazing Club like Bengaluru FC. Scoring the 43rd goal for my Country -- that too in front of my mom who watched the match from the stands at the Kanchenjunga Stadium in Siliguri was indeed special too!"
To his critics, Chhetri said: "People are free to speak whatever they want - lavish praise or criticise. But all of that wouldn't change the fact that I'll keep working hard and keep pushing myself to get better with every day. I love my Football and am very passionate about it.
"Injuries have hit me hard almost every season and I pray to the Almighty to keep me fit. This is the only season where I haven't yet succumbed to injuries (touch wood)."
All India Football Federation also instituted three more new Awards along with re-instituting the AIFF Women's Player of the Year.
Oinam Bembem Devi was adjudged the 2013 AIFF Women's Player of the Year. Bembem Devi was the only recipient of the Award, the sole time it was announced in 2001.
The 33-year old Bembem Devi will be presented a prize of Rs. 1 lakh besides a Trophy.
AIFF also declared Jeje Lalpekhlua as the 2013 Emerging Player of the Year. The 22-year striker from Mizoram has already donned the National jersey 43 times scoring 14 goals so far. Jeje will be presented a prize of Rs. 75000 besides a Trophy.
"My heartiest congratulations to Sunil, Bembem Devi and Jeje. All of them are worthy recipients of the Award," Patel said.
The last two Awards instituted on the day were the Award for the Best Grassroots Development Programme which was bagged by Mizoram FA, while the Award for long time contribution to Indian Football was awarded to Tata Football Academy.
"This is a token of appreciation to the good work they have been doing. We expect others to follow the path," Patel said.
All the Awards would be presented in an Awards Night in February organised by FICCI
Chhetri, who had earlier won the Award twice in 2007 and 2011, was chosen the winner after voting by I-League coaches at AIFF Headquarters.
"It feels great and I am very thankful to all the coaches for voting for me. But then I don't take it too seriously. It feels good for a while and then you ought to brush it off and move on," Chhetri said.
"Sometimes Awards can make you complacent and if you become so, then it doesn't take much time for your form to dip. All these years I have learnt to deal with adulations and criticism in a normal way. Honestly, I'm still learning."
Chhetri, who is presently India's highest-ever goal-scorer in international football with 43 goals, will be presented a prize of Rs. 2 lakh besides a trophy. The Indian captain thus became only the second player after IM Vijayan to have won the Award thrice.
"I have been very fortunate to have amazing lads as my Teammates -- my mates from Churchill Brothers and presently from Bengaluru FC. I also want to take this opportunity to thank all the Players that I have played with for my National Team as none of those 43 goals would have been possible without their support," Chhetri said.
"I also need to thank the Coaching staff of both the Clubs that I have played this year and obviously from the National Team."
Asked about his most pleasant moment of 2013, Chhetri said: "Winning the I-League crown with Churchill Brothers and joining an amazing Club like Bengaluru FC. Scoring the 43rd goal for my Country -- that too in front of my mom who watched the match from the stands at the Kanchenjunga Stadium in Siliguri was indeed special too!"
To his critics, Chhetri said: "People are free to speak whatever they want - lavish praise or criticise. But all of that wouldn't change the fact that I'll keep working hard and keep pushing myself to get better with every day. I love my Football and am very passionate about it.
"Injuries have hit me hard almost every season and I pray to the Almighty to keep me fit. This is the only season where I haven't yet succumbed to injuries (touch wood)."
All India Football Federation also instituted three more new Awards along with re-instituting the AIFF Women's Player of the Year.
Oinam Bembem Devi was adjudged the 2013 AIFF Women's Player of the Year. Bembem Devi was the only recipient of the Award, the sole time it was announced in 2001.
The 33-year old Bembem Devi will be presented a prize of Rs. 1 lakh besides a Trophy.
AIFF also declared Jeje Lalpekhlua as the 2013 Emerging Player of the Year. The 22-year striker from Mizoram has already donned the National jersey 43 times scoring 14 goals so far. Jeje will be presented a prize of Rs. 75000 besides a Trophy.
"My heartiest congratulations to Sunil, Bembem Devi and Jeje. All of them are worthy recipients of the Award," Patel said.
The last two Awards instituted on the day were the Award for the Best Grassroots Development Programme which was bagged by Mizoram FA, while the Award for long time contribution to Indian Football was awarded to Tata Football Academy.
"This is a token of appreciation to the good work they have been doing. We expect others to follow the path," Patel said.
All the Awards would be presented in an Awards Night in February organised by FICCI
Lionel Messi criticized a Barcelona vice president
BARCELONA: Lionel Messi criticized a Barcelona vice president on Friday for saying the Argentina forward didn't deserve a better contract.Javier Faus, the vice president in charge of Barcelona's finances, said two weeks ago he didn't see a reason to further extend Messi's contract. Last year, the club extended the 26-year-old Messi's contract through 2018.
"Mr. Faus is a person that doesn't know anything about football and wants to run Barcelona like a business, which it isn't," Messi told Catalan radio RAC1. "Barcelona is the best team in the world and deserves to be represented by the best executives.
"I remind him that neither I nor any of my representatives have asked for a contract extension at any moment, and he knows that very well."
Messi is Barcelona's all-time leading scorer and a four-time FIFA world player of the year. He is in Argentina recovering from a hamstring injury and expected to return to Barcelona in January.
Messi rarely speaks about the business side of his career. This is the first time he has openly criticized an important board member of the club he joined when he was 13 years old.
Barcelona president Sandro Rosell said on Thursday that he had not spoken to Messi about his contract, while adding "but my door is always open. I have no doubt that the best player in the world deserves to be the highest paid."
Friday, 20 December 2013
South Africa score 213/6 second day against India in first Test
JOHANNESBURG:
India's pace bowlers staged a dramatic turnaround with a devastating
exhibition of swing bowling as South Africa suffered a stunning collapse to leave the first Test more or less on an even keel on Thursday.
Scorecard | Match in Pics
The Indians lost five wickets for just 25 runs to be bundled out for 280 in their first innings but clawed back brilliantly to leave the hosts at 213 for six at close in an action-packed second day.
The hosts were cruising along comfortably at 130 for one before the Indian pacers wreaked havoc to completely change the complexion of the game on a Wanderers track which gave assistance to the quick bowlers.
The lanky Ishant Sharma (3-64) triggered the shocking batting collapse by dismissing Hashim Amla (36) and Jaques Kallis (0) off consecutive deliveries before Zaheer Khan got rid of captain Graeme Smith (68) -- all three wickets falling without a single run being added.
Mohammed Shami then struck for his team by evicting JP Duminy (2) and AB de Villers (13) in the same over to bring the Indians back into the game.
From 130 for one, the Proteas were suddenly struggling at 146 for six, losing five wickets in the span of 16 runs in the eventful last session.
The Proteas, however, recovered some lost ground with Faf du Plessis and Vernon Philander stitching 67 runs for the unbroken seventh-wicket stand as Indian bowlers went wicketless for the last 21.3 overs.
Philander and du Plessis were batting on 48 and 17 respectively at stumps with South Africa still trailing by 67 runs.
The Indians were unlucky not to have the wicket of du Plessis as he was dropped on 17 by Rohit Sharma off Shami at the fag end of the day.
Smith and Hashim Amla started proceedings after tea, at 118/1, looking to further frustrate the Indians and increase their 81-run partnership for the second wicket. They could add only 12 runs though, before the drama began and wickets started falling in a heap.
Amla was the first to go. In the 37th over of the innings, he had cut Ishant over slips and it seemed like there might be some slow reverse swing available for the medium pacers.
In his next over, Ishant was on the money again, bringing the ball back into Amla sharply, as the batsman looked to leave and was bowled. Amla scored 36 runs off 74 balls, with six fours, as the floodgates opened.
Kallis walked in and walked out the very next minute, missing the line of another in-swinger and out plumb LBW. Ishant was on a hat-trick, but de Villiers had no problems facing up.
Buoyed by this revival, Zaheer got Smith trapped LBW in the very next over, as South Africa lost three wickets for no runs in nine deliveries.
The Proteas' captain made 68 runs off 119 balls, with eleven fours. This was the seventh time in 10 Tests that Zaheer dismissed him, and 14th overall across all formats, with 68 being the highest Smith has managed in those 14 innings.
Shami came on to bowl in the 45th over and the mayhem continued, as he struck on his first ball, removing Duminy caught at first slip by Murali Vijay. Two balls later, and it was de Villiers walking back, out LBW, as South Africa lost five wickets for 16 in just 39 balls.
Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni had rotated his three quicker bowlers all day as R Ashwin (0-25) bowled only six overs in the South African innings.
Perhaps they were tired towards the end, as Du Plessis played with patience and Philander threw his bat around to put together 67 runs for the seventh wicket, taking them to stability.
Earlier, South Africa seemed to be in a solid position, scoring 118/1 at tea. Smith scored his 38th Test fifty -- and his eighth against India -- beginning the post-lunch session at 22 for no loss.
They only lost the wicket of opener Alviro Peterson (21), a sharp incoming delivery from Ishant trapping him LBW in the 14th over.
Amla and Smith then frustrated the Indian bowlers, who toiled hard and bowled better line and length as compared to the Proteas' attack on day one.
Smith was lucky as Zaheer induced an edge in 17th over of the innings, only for Ashwin to drop him at first slip. Smith was on 19 at that time. Thereafter they brought up their 50-run partnership in the 25th over, striking Ishant for two fours. The hundred for South Africa came up in the 31st over.
In the morning session, South Africa dismissed India for 280 runs in their first innings, their last five wickets falling for just 25 runs. India had begun the day at 255 for 5. Philander finished with 4 for 61 from 27 overs, while Morkel picked 3 for 34.
Dale Steyn bowled three overs on the second morning but he failed to add to his tally, finishing with 1 for 61. Kallis (1-37) took a wicket as well, while Imran Tahir (0-47) and Duminy (0-30) had gone wicket-less in their short spells on day one. For India, R Ashwin was the unbeaten batsman, 13 not out off 11 balls, with one four.
Starting at their overnight score, Dhoni and Ajinkya Rahane looked to build on the platform provided by Virat Kohli's hundred. The former was accounted by Morkel in the 99th over, out for 19 runs adding only two from Wednesday. He faced 72 balls and hit three fours.
In the very next over, Philander made the ball leave off-stump just a tad and Rahane was out caught behind. He made 47 runs, adding only five to his overnight score, as India's hopes for a 350-plus total were undone. He faced 137 balls and hit eight fours in his long stay at the wicket.
Philander then trapped Zaheer Khan (first-ball-duck) plumb off his next ball, and although Ishant denied him a hat-trick, he was bowled in the 102nd over for an 11-ball duck. Morkel then bowled Shami (0), finishing off the visitors' first innings.
Scorecard | Match in Pics
The Indians lost five wickets for just 25 runs to be bundled out for 280 in their first innings but clawed back brilliantly to leave the hosts at 213 for six at close in an action-packed second day.
The hosts were cruising along comfortably at 130 for one before the Indian pacers wreaked havoc to completely change the complexion of the game on a Wanderers track which gave assistance to the quick bowlers.
The lanky Ishant Sharma (3-64) triggered the shocking batting collapse by dismissing Hashim Amla (36) and Jaques Kallis (0) off consecutive deliveries before Zaheer Khan got rid of captain Graeme Smith (68) -- all three wickets falling without a single run being added.
Mohammed Shami then struck for his team by evicting JP Duminy (2) and AB de Villers (13) in the same over to bring the Indians back into the game.
From 130 for one, the Proteas were suddenly struggling at 146 for six, losing five wickets in the span of 16 runs in the eventful last session.
The Proteas, however, recovered some lost ground with Faf du Plessis and Vernon Philander stitching 67 runs for the unbroken seventh-wicket stand as Indian bowlers went wicketless for the last 21.3 overs.
Philander and du Plessis were batting on 48 and 17 respectively at stumps with South Africa still trailing by 67 runs.
The Indians were unlucky not to have the wicket of du Plessis as he was dropped on 17 by Rohit Sharma off Shami at the fag end of the day.
Smith and Hashim Amla started proceedings after tea, at 118/1, looking to further frustrate the Indians and increase their 81-run partnership for the second wicket. They could add only 12 runs though, before the drama began and wickets started falling in a heap.
Amla was the first to go. In the 37th over of the innings, he had cut Ishant over slips and it seemed like there might be some slow reverse swing available for the medium pacers.
In his next over, Ishant was on the money again, bringing the ball back into Amla sharply, as the batsman looked to leave and was bowled. Amla scored 36 runs off 74 balls, with six fours, as the floodgates opened.
Kallis walked in and walked out the very next minute, missing the line of another in-swinger and out plumb LBW. Ishant was on a hat-trick, but de Villiers had no problems facing up.
Buoyed by this revival, Zaheer got Smith trapped LBW in the very next over, as South Africa lost three wickets for no runs in nine deliveries.
The Proteas' captain made 68 runs off 119 balls, with eleven fours. This was the seventh time in 10 Tests that Zaheer dismissed him, and 14th overall across all formats, with 68 being the highest Smith has managed in those 14 innings.
Shami came on to bowl in the 45th over and the mayhem continued, as he struck on his first ball, removing Duminy caught at first slip by Murali Vijay. Two balls later, and it was de Villiers walking back, out LBW, as South Africa lost five wickets for 16 in just 39 balls.
Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni had rotated his three quicker bowlers all day as R Ashwin (0-25) bowled only six overs in the South African innings.
Perhaps they were tired towards the end, as Du Plessis played with patience and Philander threw his bat around to put together 67 runs for the seventh wicket, taking them to stability.
Earlier, South Africa seemed to be in a solid position, scoring 118/1 at tea. Smith scored his 38th Test fifty -- and his eighth against India -- beginning the post-lunch session at 22 for no loss.
They only lost the wicket of opener Alviro Peterson (21), a sharp incoming delivery from Ishant trapping him LBW in the 14th over.
Amla and Smith then frustrated the Indian bowlers, who toiled hard and bowled better line and length as compared to the Proteas' attack on day one.
Smith was lucky as Zaheer induced an edge in 17th over of the innings, only for Ashwin to drop him at first slip. Smith was on 19 at that time. Thereafter they brought up their 50-run partnership in the 25th over, striking Ishant for two fours. The hundred for South Africa came up in the 31st over.
In the morning session, South Africa dismissed India for 280 runs in their first innings, their last five wickets falling for just 25 runs. India had begun the day at 255 for 5. Philander finished with 4 for 61 from 27 overs, while Morkel picked 3 for 34.
Dale Steyn bowled three overs on the second morning but he failed to add to his tally, finishing with 1 for 61. Kallis (1-37) took a wicket as well, while Imran Tahir (0-47) and Duminy (0-30) had gone wicket-less in their short spells on day one. For India, R Ashwin was the unbeaten batsman, 13 not out off 11 balls, with one four.
Starting at their overnight score, Dhoni and Ajinkya Rahane looked to build on the platform provided by Virat Kohli's hundred. The former was accounted by Morkel in the 99th over, out for 19 runs adding only two from Wednesday. He faced 72 balls and hit three fours.
In the very next over, Philander made the ball leave off-stump just a tad and Rahane was out caught behind. He made 47 runs, adding only five to his overnight score, as India's hopes for a 350-plus total were undone. He faced 137 balls and hit eight fours in his long stay at the wicket.
Philander then trapped Zaheer Khan (first-ball-duck) plumb off his next ball, and although Ishant denied him a hat-trick, he was bowled in the 102nd over for an 11-ball duck. Morkel then bowled Shami (0), finishing off the visitors' first innings.
Andrés Iniesta has signed a three-year contract extension
FC Barcelona midfielder Andrés Iniesta will remain at Camp Nou until summer 2018 after Azulgrana president Sandro Rosell confirmed the 29-year-old has agreed terms on a new contract.
Iniesta –
who joined Barcelona aged 12 and has gone on to register 48 goals in
479 games in all competitions – has secured a three-year extension with
the Spanish champions and current Liga leaders.Since making his debut in a UEFA Champions League tie at Club Brugge KV in 2002, the Albacete-born player has collected three UEFA Champions League winners' medals and six Liga titles. Iniesta has also triumphed on the international stage where – across 93 appearances for Spain – he won UEFA EURO 2008, UEFA EURO 2012 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup, scoring the clinching goal against the Netherlands in South Africa.
Gerardo Martino's team will continue their quest for European glory when they resume their UEFA Champions League challenge in the round of 16 against Manchester City FC on 18 February and 12 March.
Sourav Ganguly's cricket coaching centre banned for a year
Kolkata: 
After being found guilty of fudging age, two cricket coaching centres run by former India captain Sourav Ganguly and former Bengal skipper Sambaran Banerjee were among 13 which were banned by the Cricket Association of Bengal for one year on Thursday.
Cracking down on the menace of age fudging prevalent in age group cricket, the CAB, at its cricket committee meeting, also decided to ban 42 players for two years.
"Next time, we will be stricter. A coaching centre will be banned for life time, while a player for 10 years to take part in any CAB organised tournament if found guilty of age fudging. We want to set a precedent to curb the menace," CAB joint secretary Subir Ganguly said.
The CAB had cracked down on 49 sub-junior and junior cricketers during the CAB Ambar Roy Under-14 Sub-Junior and Under-17 Junior tournaments earlier in September while the cricket committee today announced the punishments.
Hailing the decision, an official of the Sourav Ganguly Academy in Saltlake said, "We never checked their certificates thinking that it's done by the CAB in a tournament.
"But this would not happen again as we would cross check the birth certificates with the municipal corporations from here on."
After being found guilty of fudging age, two cricket coaching centres run by former India captain Sourav Ganguly and former Bengal skipper Sambaran Banerjee were among 13 which were banned by the Cricket Association of Bengal for one year on Thursday.Cracking down on the menace of age fudging prevalent in age group cricket, the CAB, at its cricket committee meeting, also decided to ban 42 players for two years.
"Next time, we will be stricter. A coaching centre will be banned for life time, while a player for 10 years to take part in any CAB organised tournament if found guilty of age fudging. We want to set a precedent to curb the menace," CAB joint secretary Subir Ganguly said.
The CAB had cracked down on 49 sub-junior and junior cricketers during the CAB Ambar Roy Under-14 Sub-Junior and Under-17 Junior tournaments earlier in September while the cricket committee today announced the punishments.
Hailing the decision, an official of the Sourav Ganguly Academy in Saltlake said, "We never checked their certificates thinking that it's done by the CAB in a tournament.
"But this would not happen again as we would cross check the birth certificates with the municipal corporations from here on."
Brendan Rogers- Luis Suarez has matured since match ban for biting
Luis Suarez has matured since his 10 match ban for biting and is thriving on the leadership role he has been handed by the club says manager Brendan Rogers.
The Uruguayan striker has been in scorching form since returning from suspension for biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic last season, scoring 17 goals in 11 league appearances, more than the total managed by half the clubs in the Premier League.
Having appeared to be on his way out of the Anfield club during the off-season and at odds with his manager, he is now more settled in Merseyside. His redemption following a litany of off-field dramas continued on Monday when he was given the Football Supporters' Federation Player of the Year award, which was voted for by more that half a million fans.
"I think he's just matured," Rogers said in a news conference ahead of Saturday's visit of 15th-placed Cardiff City.
"He's really felt the love of the supporters after the 10-game ban, it was extremely difficult for him to cope because he's a man that plays football because of the love of the game, I think you see that in him every week and every day at training I'm fortunate enough to see that.
"I just think he's maturing, he is accepting the role and responsibility that I've given him. He is one of the senior players... one of the pillars of the group."
The 26-year-old was named captain for Sunday's 5-0 thrashing of Tottenham Hotspur in the absence of the injured Steven Gerrard and Daniel Agger, who was on the bench, and Rogers said his enthusiasm was rubbing off on his younger team mates.
"We are a young side, our average age is probably the lowest it's been for a number of years in the Tottenham game, and he's taken on that mantle in order to help and support those players, whilst having that real x-factor that he has to his game."
Liverpool are second in the table, two points off leaders Arsenal and on track for Champions League qualification for the first time since failing to progress from the group stage in the 2009-10 season.
British media have reported that the club has started talks with Suarez's agent over a new contract, but Rogers would not be drawn on the situation.
"There's nothing to report on that. Obviously anything contractually is private so at the minute we are just focusing on his football."
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